FLORENCE O'NEILL; OR, THE SIEGE OF LIMERICK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 137, 17 December 1875, Page 63

FLORENCE O'NEILL; OR, THE SIEGE OF LIMERICK.

4-4 THE SHADOW OF THE GTCAVr. Tt is a lovely evening in Autumn, that season of the year in which the bright green foliage of Summer gives place to those varied tints which constitute the chief charm of woodland scenery. The queen and her court are at Kensington, the king's favorite palace, he being daily expected in England; and as the baronet's health had not improved sufficiently to allow of his return to Morville, the proximity of his house to the palace gave Florence the opportunity of frequently visiting- him. On one of these visits lie surprised her by handing to her a small packet. Ft had reached the baronet's hands through a private channel, and was from their renowned kinsman, Sarstield, Lord Lucan. Florence grew red and white by turns, as with cold and trembling fingers, she untied the silken ribbon that fastened the packet. The first letter she opened was from Lord Lucan. It ran as follows : — My Dear Florence: — In compliance with the request of a brave officer, who has boon fighting uudor my command, I transmit to you the enclosed. I also beg, at the samfi time, to acquaint you with the death of your aunt, the amiable and belovod Catherine O'Neill. She was killed by a shell, which fell on her house whilst the town was being bombarded, at a moment in which she was actively engaged in comforting and helping tlio-se who had flocked around her. f am glad to tell you that the writer of the enclosed letter, written by himself several weeks since, is pronounced <mt of danger. As soon as he recovers suiliciently to travel, he will accompany nio to St. Oermains. T must not forget to add i lr.it all my cousin Catherine's wealth is bequeathed to yourself. T hope, my de.ir Florence, that the day is not far distant when I shall have the pie inure of assisting at your nuptials with one who was the best and bravest of my late officers. 1 remain, dear Florence, Your affectionate Kinsman, LlK'A^. Well did Florence remember that good aunt of hers, and tears full to her memory long hei'oiv she had reached the end of her letter. Then she unfolded a sheet of paper, containing a few hastily written lines, on the purport of which the reader is already aware. Within them was wrapped the miniature, a welcome sourenir indeed. She sat still a long while pondering over Iho contents of that last letter, and angry with herself, after all, that :iny thought should distract her from her sorrow at the sudden and violent death of her aunt.

Of course Sir Reginald had been long since forgiven ; had he not perilled his life in fighting for the cause of King James ? She had riches enoug-h for both, notwithstanding his confiscated estates; but the timible now would be to escape from her present thraldom. She had no hope of being able to do so even had she been this moment free. Could she leave that aged man, whose days were fast drawing to a close, and who was clinging to her as a father clings to a beloved child ? " I will leave these with you, uncle dear," she said, kneeling by his bedside, and placing the letters and miniature in his hand ; you will take care of them for me. It is hard to part Avith them, but 1 (lave not havu them at the palace under my care. Is it not, trying to bear this restraint ? What right has the queen to keep me there against my will P" i "No right, my child, but by her power. But I fancy she is as much attached to you as she can be to any one." " The queen cares for no one but her husband, uncle. But, hark, there is the sound of carnage wheels; it tells me my time is up. Farewell, my own dear uncle, till to-morrow. 1 shall come and see you every day whilst I am at Kensington." On her return she was summoned to attend the queen. After a few common-place remarks respecting the health of her uncle, the queen said :—: — " JDo you remember Count Von Arnheim, a very clever young officer, high in favor of the king ? He holds a very honorable post at the Hague, and accompanied the king to England on his last visit hither." " Yes mad-Jane, I do remember such a person slightly." " The king has formed intentions respecting him which wo mutually hope will not be displeasing to our protegee, Florence o'Noill. The Count has a fine estate near the Hague, and as ho is a favorite of the king's, I need iiiot tell you that his interests will be cared for." Florence sat like a statue, pale and speechless, whilst the queen delivered this tirade. When the queen paused, " Madame," she said, "I beg the king and yourself to accept my grateful thanks for your kind intentions, but 1 cannot marry Count Von Arnheim." " Not marry him, and why ? He is handsome, amiable, and wealthy. Surely you tiro not encouraging any further attachment to the traitor, St. John ?" " Spare mo, gracious madame," said the girl, vising, and then leaning against a chair for support : " I have no intention to many : it is impossible for me to wed the Count." " The king will be displeased that you should reject an alliance which we have thought well of. Still more, should he deem that you persist in your rejection of the Count because yoviyet encourage an attachment for the outlaw, St. John. With no friends in England but your uncle., who will not live long, it is something w orse than foolish to refuse overtures which the king and myself L.'onsi(li.'v it wiJl be for your advantage to accept." •• Tt is simply impossible, your Majesty, that I can ever marry Count Von Arnheim." "f see well how it is," replied the queen; alsD that I have pressed the matter too much. The Court is coming here along with the king in a, few weeks ; you will overcome this reluctance." " Madame, spare me any overtures on the part of the Count," said Florence ; "my mind will remain unaltered ; 1 shall never marry him." " I see that you are obstinate," was the reply. " Time effects gaeat changes. Before very long you may be as anxious to complete this match as you are now violently opposed. Obstinacy is tho prevailing characteristic of the dispositions of certain members of my own family. It is that of my own sister, and her positivenuss in retaining those mischievous favorites of hers, the Marlboroughs, a proof is of it. She will have to yield, and so will you." Florence stood as one bewildered, as, Tittering these words, the queen — her majestic, portly figure erect as a dart, and her countenance expressive of anger — left the room. " Was ever any ono in this world more tormented," sighed she, as, entering her own apartment, she sat down, and thought over the events of the last few hours. " With no friend or relative in London but that dear old man, who will not, I fear, linger long, as the queen coldly reminded me, and unable to get over to France, what step can L take to guard myself against this new tyranny ?" Then she sat stilJ for a time, but her tears fell fast. She looked out abstractedly, as she sat at the open window, on the prospect in the distance, for the last rays of the sun were setting, and the tops of the tall trees and the stately mansions in the distance wore- lighted up by its golden beams, the clouds tipped with the brightest hues of the ruby and amethyst. " 1 am rich, and what does my wealth do for me?" sighed the girl. " Better be the daughter of a poor cottager on my uncle's e--tate, or of some humble peasant woman, in la helle France, than suii'er as [ do. What is the use of wealth I wonder," she rambled on, " when one cannot do as one pleases ? I would do much gocd if 1 could but be left alone, and try to put to good account what God has given me, yes, I am sure — I ani sure I would. Riches 1 would make a passport to heaven, unless my nature changes ; this wealth that people covet so, I shall have in abundance, but deprived of my liberty, I am worse off than the poorest woman in England." She was silent for a little Avhilft, then suddenly a perplexing thought filled her ; she rose and walked about the room, then sat her down and rambled on again. "AVell, if this bo the case, then, indeed, 1 am tindone," she sakl. " T heard the La'ly Marlborongh say, that the queen was fo angry that the Princess' Anne got the pension from the government, becausu she wanted the money to help the king with his continental warp. Von Arnheim is one of his foroign subjects and a favorite; is it possible, that from interested motives they are trying to force me into a marriage with this man? If so, the

death of the only two relations from -whom my wealth is derived, at this particular juncture, is favorable to any scheme they may have formed. Shall they have their way then, shall the queen force me into compliance ? No, not while Reginald lives, or even if lam to have the pang of hearing of his death, she shall shut me up in the gloomy old Tower first." The more Florence suffered her mind to dwell on this new idea, the more convinced she been me that an ulterior motive was at the bottom of the marriage they were evidently about to coerce her into making, and the more terrified she became at the near prospect of her uncle's death. The Queen, early in the first year of her regal power, dismissed all Catholics from the vicinity of the metropolis, and Florence was at no loss to guess why her invalid was suffered to dwell at Kensington, or she in the palace, and could no longer shut her eyes to the fact that she would ere long bo subjected to some cruel tyranny, unless some fortuitous chance occurred m her favor. Warned at last by a sudden chilliness seizing her whole frame, she closed the open window near which she had 1 >een seated. The moon had sunk beneath a cloud, and the sky now looked wild and stormy, a wind had arisen, and a few rain drops, pattering against the window, betokened an approaching storm. " Dark as my own fate, oh, my God support me," sighed the girl, whilst her eyes filled with bitter tears , but even as slie turned aivay, one bright star shone out in the canopy of heaven, whilst all around wos black and gloomy. Call it imagination, call it enthusiasm, or what you will, that bright star appeared to her as a presage that all would yet be well, an answer to the aspiration she had uttered, the almost wild cry which in the agony of her heart, she had sent up to heaven for help. Turning from the casement, she fell upon her knees, and with uplifted hands prayed longand earnestly for guidance and assistance, and then, soothed and comforted, and sustained by the providence 'of the God in whom she placed an unwavering trust, she slept in the midst of the dangers which beset her path, the calm, peaceful sleep of an infant cradled by the protecting arm of its mother. On the morrow when she sought the queen, she observed that her manner was cold and restrained to herself, but more than usually free and pleasant to the other ladies, and it was a relief to Florence when business on matters of State summoned the queen to her cabinet, and left her free to visit her uncle. The baronet was piopped up by pillows, and she observed with a shudder, that a change had taken place since she was with him the previous evening. She had never stood face to face with death, had never before been present when the spirit was passing aw.ty from its eartkly tenement, consequently she was not aware that the grey shadow which seemed to rest upon his countenance was tho shadow that betokens speedy dissolution; had she been conscious of this, she would not have distracted his mind with the narration of the tyranny of tlie queen on the previous evening.